Diego Rivera, The History of Medicine in Mexico: Peopled Demand for Better Health, mural in 1953 still current.

Although public health and social medicine have a long history in Latin America going back to Co lonial times, their relevance has ebbed and flowed as a result of the development of a variety of social and political movements. The Mexican Revolution accelerated implementation of public health po licies in Mexico and resulted in the creation of the Mexican Institute of Social Security to serve the health and social security needs of the country's population. Construction of the Hospital La Raza and its embellishment by the mural paintings of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros correspon ded to the heyday of public health ideas in Mexico. This is clearly reflected in Rivera's mural painting from 1953, The History of Medicine in Mexico: People's Demand for Better Health. The left side of the painting, representing the history of modern medicine in Mexico, exemplifies the tensions between individuals and social groups demanding the fruits of modern medicine and public health, and en trenched bureaucracy and private interests resisting their demands. Rivera's artistry illustrates this tension by depicting urban social groups and a family with a pregnant mother and children reques ting medical attention on one side of the main panel, facing condescending physicians, bureaucrats and upper society gentlemen and ladies on the other side. The importance of social movements to the development of public health policies illustrated by Rivera in 1953 continues to be relevant in Latin America today where increasing millions still lack the benefits of health care and social security.

Diego Rivera, the history of medicine in Mexico: peopled demand for better health, mural in 1953 still current / Diego Rivera: la historia de la medicina en México: el pueblo en demanda de salud, mural de 1953 aún vigente

Abstract: Although public health and social medicine have a long history in Latin America going back to Co lonial times, their relevance has ebbed and flowed as a result of the development of a variety of social and political movements. The Mexican Revolution accelerated implementation of public health po licies in Mexico and resulted in the creation of the Mexican Institute of Social Security to serve the health and social security needs of the country's population. Construction of the Hospital La Raza and its embellishment by the mural paintings of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros correspon ded to the heyday of public health ideas in Mexico. This is clearly reflected in Rivera's mural painting from 1953, The History of Medicine in Mexico: People's Demand for Better Health. The left side of the painting, representing the history of modern medicine in Mexico, exemplifies the tensions between individuals and social groups demanding the fruits of modern medicine and public health, and en trenched bureaucracy and private interests resisting their demands. Rivera's artistry illustrates this tension by depicting urban social groups and a family with a pregnant mother and children reques ting medical attention on one side of the main panel, facing condescending physicians, bureaucrats and upper society gentlemen and ladies on the other side. The importance of social movements to the development of public health policies illustrated by Rivera in 1953 continues to be relevant in Latin America today where increasing millions still lack the benefits of health care and social security.

Frequency of increased aminotransferases levels and associated metabolic abnormalities in obese and overweight children of an elementary school in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: Elevated ALT is an indirect marker of NAFLD in patients with non-alcohol abuse and without other known causes of chronic hepatitis. Obesity, type 2 diabetes and some dyslipidemias are associated to this condition. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of increased aminotransferases and associated metabolic anomalies among overweight and obese children. METHODS: Children from an elementary school with obesity or overweight were included. Medical history and anthropometrics measurements were recorded and serum liver function tests, lipid profile, glucose and insulin levels, and HOMA index were determined. NAFLD diagnosis was considered in those children with ALT>40 U/L and AST/ALT ratio<1 after exclusion of other causes of chronic hepatitis. RESULTS: Increase ALT levels (>40 U/L) were found in 34/ 80 (42%) obese and overweight children; mean age was 9.5+/-1.1 years and mean BMI of 25.8+/-3. The metabolic abnormalities in the study group were similar, there were no differences in insulin concentration, insulin resistance determined by HOMA-IR Index, serum lipid profile and serum glucose between children with or without increased ALT. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency (42%) of elevated ALT levels in children with excess body weight in this study was greater to those reported in other pediatric populations. There were no differences among the metabolic alterations with or without increased ALT; these findings support that the principal pathogenic factor involved in the development of the hepatic injury may be located in the liver.